Kerry councillors seek property deals with NAMA

COUNCILLORS in the Tralee electoral area are asking the Government to ensure that local authorities in Kerry be allowed to purchase sites and houses directly from NAMA and to be allowed avail of any loan schemes attached to the body.

The proposal — from Fine Gael councillors Jim Finucane and Pat McCarthy — came during a meeting which heard that none of the four local authorities in Kerry was building or buying any property, right now.

The meeting in the county buildings in Tralee, heard that the rental accommodation scheme, (RAS) — whereby the council pays rent to private property landowners — was now its only means of housing families.

To qualify, for the so-called RAS scheme, applicants had to be in receipt of rent allowance from more than 18 months, Brigid O’Riordan, housing, said.

The houses had to meet inspection standards and she said that close to 200 such contracts were now being finalised.

Sinn Féin councillor Toireasa Ferris had said that in principle she was opposed to such leasing schemes as it was “money going to developers” but asked that the process be speeded up for applicants, many of whom were the working poor.

Chairman Cllr Pat McCarthy said that since the state had set up NAMA, the property it acquired should be used for the benefit of local authorities. The meeting also decided that land banks which may be made available to the country’s cities for facilities should also be made available to councils.

A letter is now to go to NAMA and Environment Minister Phil Hogan.